High-altitude exposure in patients with cardiovascular disease: risk assessment and practical recommendations

Rimoldi, Stefano F; Sartori, Claudio; Seiler, Christian; Delacrétaz, Etienne; Mattle, Heinrich P; Scherrer, Urs; Allemann, Yves (2010). High-altitude exposure in patients with cardiovascular disease: risk assessment and practical recommendations. Progress in cardiovascular diseases, 52(6), pp. 512-24. Orlando, Fla.: Elsevier 10.1016/j.pcad.2010.03.005

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Because of the development of modern transportation facilities, an ever rising number of individuals including many patients with preexisting diseases visit high-altitude locations (>2500 m). High-altitude exposure triggers a series of physiologic responses intended to maintain an adequate tissue oxygenation. Even in normal subjects, there is enormous interindividual variability in these responses that may be further amplified by environmental factors such as cold temperature, low humidity, exercise, and stress. These adaptive mechanisms, although generally tolerated by most healthy subjects, may induce major problems in patients with preexisting cardiovascular diseases in which the functional reserves are already limited. Preexposure assessment of patients helps to minimize risk and detect contraindications to high-altitude exposure. Moreover, the great variability and nonpredictability of the adaptive response should encourage physicians counseling such patients to adapt a cautionary approach. Here, we will briefly review how high-altitude adjustments may interfere with and aggravate/decompensate preexisting cardiovascular diseases. Moreover, we will provide practical recommendations on how to investigate and counsel patients with cardiovascular disease desiring to travel to high-altitude locations.

Item Type:	Journal Article (Original Article)
Division/Institute:	04 Faculty of Medicine > Department of Cardiovascular Disorders (DHGE) > Clinic of Cardiology 04 Faculty of Medicine > Department of Head Organs and Neurology (DKNS) > Clinic of Neurology
UniBE Contributor:	Rimoldi, Stefano, Seiler, Christian, Delacrétaz, Etienne, Mattle, Heinrich, Allemann, Yves
ISSN:	0033-0620
Publisher:	Elsevier
Language:	English
Submitter:	Factscience Import
Date Deposited:	04 Oct 2013 14:08
Last Modified:	05 Dec 2022 14:00
Publisher DOI:	10.1016/j.pcad.2010.03.005
PubMed ID:	20417345
Web of Science ID:	000277309600009
URI:	https://boris.unibe.ch/id/eprint/376 (FactScience: 197877)